Katahdin Woods and Waters Scenic Byway

Story of the Byway

The Katahdin Woods & Waters Scenic Byway offers world-class outdoor recreational opportunities amidst spectacular scenery in some of the most spectacular natural landscapes that inland Maine has to offer. Visitors of all experience levels can enjoy camping, canoeing, rafting, hiking, bicycling, fishing, snowmobiling, Nordic skiing, and epic wildlife watching. The grand forested landscape surrounding Katahdin is filled with lakes, ponds, streams, bogs, and the unspoiled West and East Branches of the Penobscot River. Byway travelers have exceptional access to these places through both public lands and Maine’s traditional public access over private lands. Visitors should be sure to take the time to meet the area’s local craftsman, unique business owners, and masters of wildlife.

The byway connects to the South Gate of Baxter State Park, where Katahdin, Maine’s highest peak, dominates the landscape. The mountain was designated as a National Landmark by the National Park Service in 1967. This natural wonder has inspired countless writers, poets, and artists for many years, one of the most notable being Henry David Thoreau.

This byway passes between Ambajejus and Millinocket lakes, two of Maine’s largest, and also passes the towns of Millinocket and East Millinocket. These historic mill towns offer abundant services as well as recreational opportunities at local parks and trails. The museum, library, tourist information centers, shops, and galleries provide places where visitors can learn about recreation and the region’s lumber history. A little off the beaten path, the Abol Bridge is located west of Millinocket and provides passage over the West Branch of the Penobscot River. The bridge offers broad, open views of Mount Katahdin along with spectacular views of the falls below.

The byway then passes north through Medway, Gemstone, Sherman, Stacyville, Patten, and Mt. Chase. In Patten, visitors can learn all about Maine logging history, including the use of bateaux on waterways to transport supplies, the stories of the fearless river drivers, what life was like inside a remote logging camp, and even the role of bean hole beans. Housed in nine buildings at the Museum site, the vast collection of tools and equipment reflect every aspect of the woodsman’s life and work in the 1800s and the first three decades of the 20th century. The museum boasts some of Maine’s most notable contributions to the early mechanization of logging, including the Lombard Steam Hauler, Lombard Gas Hauler, and the Peavey Cant Dog. Visitors may wish to time their visits for the third Saturday in May for the Fiddlers and Fiddlehead Fest, where fiddlers fiddle while fiddlehead cooks compete or for the second Saturday in August for the Annual Bean-hole Bean Dinner, where visitors can travel back in time to eat like a river-driver and enjoy wagon rides, live music, crafts, and blacksmithing and wood-turning demonstrations.

The northern end of the byway is more remote and features the East Branch headwaters and the fishing and boating mecca, Grand Lake Matagamon. This branch has been a popular part of the river for recreational canoe trips ever since Thoreau, Maine’s first ecotourist, described his guided excursion there in “The Maine Woods” (1864). The northern section of Baxter offers great solitude, and the opportunities for wildlife watching and touring are especially great. Visitors seeking a thrill will love white water rafting on this beautiful river

Here, the byway connects people with Maine Public Lands, lake beaches, and great moose country. The byway’s recreational resources for both mild and extreme outdoor recreation enthusiasts are nationally significant. Visitors can trace Henry David Thoreau’s footsteps, enjoy vistas painted by famous artists, or discover the wildness that inspired Roosevelt.